Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)

OPIC is the U.S. Government’s development finance institution. It mobilizes private capital to help solve critical world challenges and in doing so, advances U.S. foreign policy. Because OPIC works with the U.S. private sector, it helps U.S. businesses gain footholds in emerging markets, catalyzing revenues, jobs and growth opportunities both at home and abroad. OPIC achieves its mission by providing investors with financing, guarantees, political risk insurance, and support for private equity investment funds.

Established as an agency of the U.S. Government in 1971, OPIC operates on a self-sustaining basis at no net cost to American taxpayers. OPIC services are available for new and expanding business enterprises in more than 150 countries worldwide. To date, OPIC has supported more than $200 billion of investment in over 4,000 projects, generated an estimated $75 billion in U.S. exports and supported more than 277,000 American jobs.

OPIC Financing provides medium- to long-term funding through direct loans and loan guaranties to eligible investment projects in developing countries and emerging markets. By complementing the private sector, OPIC can provide financing in countries where conventional financial institutions often are reluctant or unable to lend on such a basis.

OPIC’s Small and Medium-Enterprise Financing is available for businesses with annual revenues of less than $400 million. OPIC’s Structured Financing focuseson larger U.S. businesses and supports large-scale projects that require large amounts of capital.

OPIC can meet the long-term capital investment financing needs of any size business in a wide variety of industries. OPIC’s minimum loan/guaranty size is $350,000 and the maximum is $250 million. If a project requires more than OPIC’s maximum per-project lending capacity, OPIC is experienced in working with co-lenders to bring sufficient resources to a project. The majority of OPIC’s financing is used to cover the capital costs (such as design/engineering services, facility construction or leasehold improvements, equipment) associated with the establishment or expansion of a project in a non-financial industry or to fund the expansion of lending capacity (such as microfinance, SME lending or mortgage lending) by a financial services provider.

OPIC does not consider financing requests that are solely for working capital needs or for the purpose of making an acquisition, though limited working capital or acquisition costs may be financeable if they are a portion of overall project costs. OPIC does not finance export sales that are unrelated to long-term investments in overseas projects.

INVESTMENT FUNDS

In response to the shortfall of private equity capital in developing countries, OPIC provides support for the creation of privately-owned and managed investment funds. OPIC is one of the largest in private equity funds in developing nations and the agency is typically one of the first fund sponsors to enter an unproven market. These funds make direct equity and equity-related investments in new, expanding or privatizing emerging market companies. OPIC-supported funds help emerging economies access long-term growth capital, management skills, and financial expertise, all of which are key factors in expanding economic development and creating new opportunities for people in low-income and developing nations.

OPIC has committed $4.4 billion to 63 private equity funds in emerging markets since 1987. These funds in turn have invested $5.6 billion in more than 570 privately-owned and managed companies across 65 countries. Through our commitments, we catalyze U.S. foreign direct investment and accelerate the economic and social development within these markets.